- #1 L.A. Noire
97% matchVery Positive86% of 36,273 reviews2011
Dev: Team BondiPub: Rockstar Games
Windows
Median: 6.8 hrsMean: 19.2 hrs≥1hr: 81%
In his fight to climb the ranks and do what's right, LAPD detective Cole Phelps must unravel the truth behind a string of arson attacks, conspiracies, and brutal murders, battling the L.A. underworld and even members of his own department.
Why similar: Detective 32.8%, Crime 21.6%, Open World 11.6%, Investigation 9.2%, Mystery 6.8%
Why You'll Like It: It remains the definitive cinematic detective experience, masterfully combining crime scene investigation with open-world exploration and action.
- #2 Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments
96% matchVery Positive89% of 7,813 reviews2014
Dev: Frogwares
Windows
Median: 4.7 hrsMean: 9.0 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Become the most celebrated detective of all time: Sherlock Holmes! Use your impressive talents as a detective to solve six thrilling and varied cases: murders, missing persons, spectacular thefts and numerous investigations that sometimes lead you into the realms of the fantastic.
Why similar: Detective 36.5%, Crime 17.4%, Investigation 12.6%, Mystery 10.6%, Story Rich 4.2%
Why You'll Like It: Widely considered the best of the classic Frogwares Sherlock titles, it features excellent deduction boards and complex moral choices.
- #3 Shadows of Doubt
96% matchVery Positive82% of 17,348 reviews2024
Dev: ColePowered GamesPub: Fireshine Games
Windows
Median: 5.4 hrsMean: 14.6 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Take on the role of a private investigator in this immersive detective simulator. Solve murders and other crimes in a procedurally generated and persistent city where every NPC lives and breathes their own independent lives. Find the killer quickly… or they will kill again!
Why similar: Detective 61.3%, Open World 21.1%, Atmospheric 4.5%, Puzzle 4%, Adventure 3.8%
Why You'll Like It: This immersive sim offers an unparalleled open-world detective experience where you must track down serial killers using procedural evidence gathering.
- #4 The Case of the Golden Idol
95% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 10,351 reviews2022
Dev: Color Gray GamesPub: Playstack
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 7.0 hrsMean: 8.0 hrs≥1hr: 90%
A new kind of detective game that allows you to think and investigate freely. Discover clues surrounding 12 strange and gruesome deaths and build your own theory. Pick your suspect, deduce the motive, unmask the awful truth.
Why similar: Detective 25.1%, Investigation 16.1%, Crime 14.3%, Mystery 11.9%, Thriller 9.7%
Why You'll Like It: This game provides a pure, challenging deduction experience that rewards keen observation and logical reasoning above all else.
- #5 The Painscreek Killings
94% matchVery Positive91% of 6,095 reviews2017
Dev: EQ Studios
Windows
Median: 5.0 hrsMean: 6.3 hrs≥1hr: 88%
Investigate an infamous cold case in the eerie, abandoned town of Painscreek. Search for evidence, connect the dots and uncover who killed Vivian Roberts. Can you expose the truth behind this town’s dark secrets?
Why similar: Detective 27.6%, Investigation 20.2%, Mystery 13.6%, Open World 10%, Story Rich 6.8%
Why You'll Like It: It offers a true open-ended investigation where you are left to explore a deserted town and piece together a cold case without hand-holding.
- #6 Disco Elysium - The Final Cut
94% matchVery Positive93% of 126,799 reviews2019
Dev: ZA/UM
Windows · Mac
Median: 7.3 hrsMean: 22.5 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Disco Elysium - The Final Cut is a groundbreaking role playing game. You’re a detective with a unique skill system at your disposal and a whole city to carve your path across. Interrogate unforgettable characters, crack murders or take bribes. Become a hero or an absolute disaster of a human being.
Why similar: Detective 42.4%, Choices Matter 19.2%, Story Rich 15%, Open World 9.4%, Atmospheric 6.1%
Why You'll Like It: This game offers the deepest investigation mechanics and narrative choices available, focusing on the psychological aspects of being a detective.
- #7 Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter
93% matchMostly Positive80% of 14,305 reviews2016
Dev: Frogwares
Windows
Median: 6.5 hrsMean: 8.8 hrs≥1hr: 86%
Experience a fantastic adventure with unique gameplay that blends investigation, action and exploration in a breath-taking thriller that will test the limits of your nerves and intelligence. Play as the great detective and track down evil in the darkest corners of London and the human soul…
Why similar: Detective 23.4%, Crime 17%, Investigation 9.7%, Thriller 9.3%, Mystery 9.1%
Why You'll Like It: It shares the same core investigation mechanics and cinematic flair as Chapter One, focusing on complex character-driven mysteries.
- #8 Return of the Obra Dinn
92% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 33,856 reviews2018
Dev: Lucas PopePub: 3909
Windows · Mac
Median: 6.7 hrsMean: 8.4 hrs≥1hr: 81%
Lost at sea 1803 ~ The good ship Obra Dinn.
Why similar: Detective 51.8%, Mystery 21.6%, Story Rich 9.3%, Atmospheric 6.3%, Puzzle 4.2%
Why You'll Like It: A brilliant deduction-based mystery that tasks you with identifying the fates of a ship's crew through careful observation and logic.
- #9 Sherlock Holmes The Awakened
91% matchVery Positive83% of 2,770 reviews2023
Dev: Frogwares
Windows
Median: 3.8 hrsMean: 8.9 hrs≥1hr: 81%
Experience a nerve-racking Lovecraftian adventure, rebuilt from the ground up with modern graphics and gameplay. Become Sherlock Holmes, and find yourself at the heart of the terrifying Cthulhu Mythos as you investigate a series of mysterious disappearances in Europe and the US.
Why similar: Detective 27.1%, Investigation 12.8%, Open World 12.7%, Mystery 11.4%, Choices Matter 8.5%
Why You'll Like It: This modern remake provides a polished detective experience that blends traditional investigation with a darker, Lovecraftian atmosphere.
- #10 Paradise Killer
91% matchVery Positive93% of 4,418 reviews2020
Dev: Kaizen Game WorksPub: Fellow Traveller
Windows
Median: 5.0 hrsMean: 7.3 hrs≥1hr: 86%
Paradise Island, a world outside reality. There’s been a murder that only "investigation freak" Lady Love Dies can solve. Gather evidence and interrogate suspects in this open world adventure. You can accuse anyone, but you’ll have to prove your case in trial. It’s up to you to decide who’s guilty.
Why similar: Detective 20.2%, Crime 18.2%, Investigation 13.5%, Open World 10.7%, Mystery 8.9%
Why You'll Like It: An open-world investigation game that lets you explore a surreal island and gather evidence to build your own case for a trial.
- #11 Blacksad: Under the Skin
90% matchVery Positive83% of 6,816 reviews2019
Dev: Pendulo StudiosPub: Microids
Windows · Mac
Median: 5.0 hrsMean: 9.6 hrs≥1hr: 73%
BLACKSAD: Under the Skin - A dark corruption scandal in the heart of the New York City's underworld for charismatic detective John Blacksad!
Why similar: Detective 20.5%, Crime 18.1%, Investigation 12.4%, Mystery 8.4%, Choices Matter 8%
Why You'll Like It: A noir-inspired detective thriller that emphasizes character interaction and difficult choices in a beautifully stylized world.
- #12 The Wolf Among Us
89% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 39,110 reviews2013
Dev: Telltale
Windows
Median: 9.3 hrsMean: 11.9 hrs≥1hr: 89%
From the makers of the 2012 Game of the Year: The Walking Dead, comes a thriller based on the award-winning Fables comic books. As Bigby Wolf you will discover that a brutal, bloody murder is just a taste of things to come in a game series where your every decision can have enormous consequences.
Why similar: Detective 39.2%, Choices Matter 13.9%, Multiple Endings 12.7%, Story Rich 10.9%, Mystery 8.8%
Why You'll Like It: This narrative-heavy detective story excels at building tension and forcing players to make impactful choices that shape the investigation.
- #13 Agatha Christie - Hercule Poirot: The First Cases
89% matchMostly Positive76% of 1,392 reviews2021
Dev: Blazing GriffinPub: Microids
Windows · Mac
Median: 6.0 hrsMean: 10.0 hrs≥1hr: 75%
Discover an untold crime story from the mysterious youth of the famous detective Hercule Poirot.
Why similar: Detective 23.3%, Crime 19%, Investigation 12.9%, Mystery 9.4%, Third Person 7.5%
Why You'll Like It: This title offers a classic, methodical approach to investigation that captures the spirit of traditional detective fiction.
- #14 Heavy Rain
88% matchVery Positive86% of 28,418 reviews2020
Dev: Quantic Dream
Windows
Median: 4.4 hrsMean: 9.5 hrs≥1hr: 84%
Experience a gripping psychological thriller filled with innumerable twists and turns. The hunt is on for a murderer known only as the Origami Killer. Four characters, each following their own leads, must take part in a desperate attempt to prevent the killer from claiming a new victim.
Why similar: Detective 18.7%, Choices Matter 14.2%, Crime 11.8%, Multiple Endings 10.2%, Investigation 9.4%
Why You'll Like It: This cinematic thriller focuses on investigation and high-stakes choices, where your actions directly influence the survival of the protagonists.
- #15 Murdered: Soul Suspect
87% matchVery Positive86% of 17,211 reviews2014
Dev: Airtight GamesPub: Square Enix
Windows
Median: 4.4 hrsMean: 8.2 hrs≥1hr: 91%
MURDERED: SOUL SUSPECT™ takes players into a whole new realm of mystery where the case is personal and the clues just out of reach, challenging gamers to solve the hardest case of all… their own murder.
Why similar: Detective 46.1%, Crime 16.4%, Mystery 11.6%, Third Person 5%, Story Rich 4.6%
Why You'll Like It: A unique supernatural detective game where you must solve your own murder by investigating crime scenes as a ghost.
- #16 Batman™: Arkham Knight
86% matchVery Positive90% of 155,303 reviews2015
Dev: Rocksteady StudiosPub: WB Games
Windows
Median: 10.2 hrsMean: 33.3 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Batman™: Arkham Knight brings the award-winning Arkham trilogy from Rocksteady Studios to its epic conclusion. Developed exclusively for New-Gen platforms, Batman: Arkham Knight introduces Rocksteady's uniquely designed version of the Batmobile.
Why similar: Detective 30.6%, Open World 29.5%, Third Person 12%, Story Rich 8.2%, Action 7.2%
Why You'll Like It: It features a highly polished 'Detective Mode' that allows you to reconstruct crime scenes in an expansive, open-world setting.
- #17 Detroit: Become Human
85% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 244,033 reviews2020
Dev: Quantic Dream
Windows
Median: 11.4 hrsMean: 18.7 hrs≥1hr: 91%
Detroit: Become Human puts the destiny of both mankind and androids in your hands, taking you to a near future where machines have become more intelligent than humans. Every choice you make affects the outcome of the game, with one of the most intricately branching narratives ever created.
Why similar: Choices Matter 32%, Multiple Endings 22%, Story Rich 19.3%, Emotional 13.1%, Third Person 5.2%
Why You'll Like It: It utilizes a unique crime scene reconstruction mechanic that allows you to simulate past events to find clues.
- #18 The Sinking City Remastered
86% matchMostly Positive76% of 5,279 reviews2021
Dev: Frogwares
Windows
Median: 3.4 hrsMean: 9.6 hrs≥1hr: 81%
Powered by Unreal Engine 5, The Sinking City Remastered brings the eerie, atmospheric world of Oakmont back to life with enhanced gameplay and fully relit environments, perfect for both newcomers and returning players.
Why similar: Detective 25.7%, Open World 11.9%, Investigation 10.6%, Thriller 9.4%, Choices Matter 8.5%
Why You'll Like It: Developed by the same team as Chapter One, it features a large open-world city and a heavy emphasis on investigation and deduction.
- #19 The Council
84% matchVery Positive84% of 5,631 reviews2018
Dev: Big Bad WolfPub: Focus Entertainment
Windows
Median: 4.4 hrsMean: 17.3 hrs≥1hr: 77%
Experience a Narrative Adventure where your choices and character growth truly matter. As a member of a 1793 secret society, live a tale of intrigue and manipulation on the hunt for your missing mother.
Why similar: Detective 36.1%, Choices Matter 21.4%, Mystery 11.9%, Story Rich 10.8%, Adventure 6.4%
Why You'll Like It: This narrative RPG features a deep 'confrontation' system that functions like a high-stakes detective interrogation.
- #20 Call of Cthulhu®
84% matchMostly Positive79% of 13,561 reviews2018
Dev: Cyanide StudioPub: Focus Entertainment
Windows
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 7.2 hrs≥1hr: 87%
1924. Private Investigator Pierce is sent to look into the tragic death of the Hawkins family. Plunge into a world of creeping madness and cosmic horror. Cryptic clues, shadowy figures, and pure terror bar your way as you fight to retain your sanity and solve an otherworldly mystery.
Why similar: Detective 47.7%, Mystery 15.7%, Story Rich 12.4%, Atmospheric 9.1%, Choices Matter 7.1%
Why You'll Like It: A psychological detective game that forces you to balance your sanity while uncovering occult mysteries through investigation.
- #21 Observer: System Redux
83% matchVery Positive85% of 2,923 reviews2020
Dev: Bloober TeamPub: Bloober Team SA
Windows
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 8.4 hrs≥1hr: 69%
A first‑person cyberpunk horror detective story set in a decaying, neon‑scarred future. As an Observer who invades minds to hunt for clues, you will sift through corrupted memories to track down a mysterious killer and confront your own dark past.
Why similar: Detective 34.1%, Investigation 26.5%, Choices Matter 10.9%, Action-Adventure 10%, Story Rich 9.9%
Why You'll Like It: A cyberpunk detective thriller that tasks you with hacking into the minds of suspects to find clues in a dark, atmospheric setting.
- #22 Twin Mirror
82% matchMostly Positive77% of 1,651 reviews2021
Dev: DON'T NOD
Windows
Median: 6.2 hrsMean: 8.8 hrs≥1hr: 80%
The small town of Basswood will be changed forever by ex-investigative journalist Sam Higgs in this thrilling narrative experience from award-winning studio DON'T NOD. Will you find the truth – no matter the cost?
Why similar: Detective 25.3%, Crime 18.8%, Psychological 13.4%, Choices Matter 11%, Mystery 10.1%
Why You'll Like It: It features a 'Mind Palace' mechanic that allows you to relive and analyze crime scenes, very similar to the Sherlock Holmes series.
- #23 Syberia: The World Before
81% matchVery Positive90% of 4,909 reviews2022
Dev: Microids Studio ParisPub: Microids
Windows
Median: 6.2 hrsMean: 9.4 hrs≥1hr: 92%
Embark on a quest for identity through time, as you piece together the puzzle of two lives.
Why similar: Detective 25.8%, Investigation 14.5%, Mystery 12.7%, Story Rich 8.6%, Emotional 8.3%
Why You'll Like It: A beautifully written, story-rich adventure that rewards players for exploring environments and uncovering hidden details.
- #24 Dahlia View
82% matchVery Positive85% of 361 reviews2021
Dev: White Paper Games
Windows
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 9.2 hrs≥1hr: 60%
A child is missing. The police are failing. And you're a retired detective with a bit too much time on your hands. Time to throw out the rules & do whatever it takes to bring the child home. From the developers of I AM RIPPER, The Occupation & Ether One.
Why similar: Detective 20.1%, Crime 13.4%, Investigation 9.2%, Thriller 9.1%, Mystery 9%
Why You'll Like It: A focused, cinematic investigation game that tasks you with observing suspects and gathering evidence to solve a kidnapping case.
- #25 Mind Diver
79% matchVery Positive96% of 327 reviews2025
Dev: Indoor SunglassesPub: PLAYISM
Windows
Investigate a broken mind to unravel a twisted case. Deduce the truth. Restore lost memories. Listen to private conversations. Draw your own conclusions. Mind Diver is a murder mystery, where the victim is love.
Why similar: Detective 21.7%, Crime 18%, Investigation 13.9%, Thriller 10.3%, Mystery 10.1%
Why You'll Like It: A short but clever mystery game that focuses on diving into memories to reconstruct events and solve a central crime.
- #26 Call of the Sea
81% matchVery Positive88% of 6,069 reviews2020
Dev: Out of the Blue GamesPub: Raw Fury
Windows
Median: 4.8 hrsMean: 5.9 hrs≥1hr: 75%
Join Norah, a woman plagued by a mysterious illness, in her search for her missing husband in this adventure puzzle game set on a lush island paradise. Immerse yourself in stunning visuals and unlock forbidden secrets in a moving tale of mystery and love.
Why similar: Investigation 21.6%, Mystery 19.2%, Story Rich 15.2%, Emotional 10.9%, Atmospheric 8.6%
Why You'll Like It: While more puzzle-focused, it captures the mystery and investigative spirit of a period-piece adventure perfectly.
- #27 Kona II: Brume
80% matchVery Positive83% of 500 reviews2023
Dev: ParabolePub: Ravenscourt
Windows · Linux
Median: 7.0 hrsMean: 7.6 hrs≥1hr: 73%
Northern Québec, 1970. A bizarre mist —the Brume— is disconnecting a rural mining village from its quiet reality. Step into the shoes of Detective Carl Faubert as he unfolds the mysteries haunting the region while battling for his own survival.
Why similar: Detective 28.3%, Investigation 21%, Mystery 14.3%, Open World 9.2%, Story Rich 7.7%
Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric exploration game that tasks you with investigating a mysterious, snow-covered town using a journal and deductive reasoning.
- #28 Still Life
78% matchVery Positive82% of 1,089 reviews2011
Dev: Microids
Windows
Median: 1.1 hrsMean: 5.4 hrs≥1hr: 51%
Still Life 2 also now available!
Why similar: Detective 31.4%, Crime 27.1%, Mystery 17.7%, Adventure 8.2%, Investigation 6%
Why You'll Like It: A classic crime investigation game that follows two detectives across different eras working on similar serial killer cases.
- #29 The Testament of Sherlock Holmes
78% matchVery Positive80% of 3,865 reviews2012
Dev: Frogwares
Windows
Median: 3.5 hrsMean: 8.0 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Become the greatest detective of all time in The Testament of Sherlock Holmes, a twisting, turning investigation game set in a faithfully-reproduced London of 1898. As Sherlock Holmes, you must find clues, interrogate suspects and unveil a mystery in a story full of twists!
Why similar: Detective 51.1%, Mystery 13.3%, Crime 9.9%, Investigation 7.9%, Adventure 7.2%
- #30 Agatha Christie - Murder on the Orient Express
75% matchVery Positive84% of 1,193 reviews2023
Dev: Microids Studio LyonPub: Microids
Windows
Median: 8.9 hrsMean: 16.1 hrs≥1hr: 81%
Step on board the legendary Orient Express and immerse yourself in the most famous detective suit in a race against the clock to unmask the murderer.
Why similar: Detective 25.2%, Investigation 13.5%, Open World 12.7%, Thriller 11.6%, Mystery 9.8%
- #31 Inspector Schmidt - A Bavarian Tale
76% matchMostly Positive78% of 406 reviews2023
Dev: Active Fungus Studios
Windows · Linux
In a third-person RPG detective story, set in Bavaria in 1866, the medical student Valentin Schmidt travels to Wolpertshofen, when a sudden death causes turmoil in the village. Use your skills, find clues and question the villagers to stop the murders.
Why similar: Crime 26.2%, Detective 20.7%, Investigation 10.3%, Mystery 9.4%, Third Person 4.9%
- #32 Sherlock Holmes and The Hound of The Baskervilles
77% matchVery Positive88% of 915 reviews2012
Dev: Waterlily GamesPub: Frogwares
Windows
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 4.6 hrs≥1hr: 80%
Help Sherlock Holmes, the famed detective, investigate the legend of a supernatural hound on the fog-shrouded moorland in England of the 19th century. Immerse yourself into the dangerous world of diabolical curse and discover the truth of the monstrous creature.
Why similar: Detective 51.8%, Adventure 20.6%, Mystery 17.3%, Puzzle 9.2%, Singleplayer 1.1%
- #33 Sherlock Holmes - Nemesis
77% matchMostly Positive71% of 755 reviews2008
Dev: Frogwares
Windows
Median: 2.8 hrsMean: 7.9 hrs≥1hr: 74%
This new Sherlock Holmes game sends us to 19th Century London where Arséne Lupin, a young French burglar with an impressive track record, has just challenged Scotland Yard and the most famous of detectives - Sherlock Holmes.
Why similar: Detective 55.6%, Mystery 14.6%, Investigation 13.2%, Adventure 13.1%, Puzzle 3.5%
- #34 Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE Plus
73% matchVery Positive81% of 2,086 reviews2024
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 12.6 hrsMean: 22.4 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Yuma, an amnesiac detective-in-training, and Shinigami, the spirit haunting him, tackle unsolved mysteries.
Why similar: Detective 38%, Mystery 12.1%, Action-Adventure 9.7%, Story Rich 9.3%, Exploration 8.3%
- #35 Sherlock Holmes versus Jack the Ripper
76% matchVery Positive81% of 1,336 reviews2009
Dev: Frogwares
Windows
Median: 2.9 hrsMean: 8.0 hrs≥1hr: 78%
Recognized as one of the best licenses in gaming and lauded by the press, Sherlock Holmes is back with an investigation that is sure to be the most horrifying of the series. The famous detective stands against the most dangerous serial killer England has ever known - Jack the Ripper.
Why similar: Detective 45.5%, Investigation 14.9%, Mystery 13.9%, Adventure 12.3%, Thriller 7%
- #36 Mystery of the Malign
72% matchVery Positive94% of 80 reviews2025
Dev: Gameplay Supremacy
Windows
Investigate. Interrogate. Descend into a world of intrigue to untangle the Mystery of the Malign.
Why similar: Investigation 24%, Mystery 21.4%, Story Rich 11.7%, Crime 10.9%, Atmospheric 8.1%
- #37 The Operator
71% matchVery Positive92% of 8,280 reviews2024
Dev: Bureau 81
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.5 hrsMean: 3.9 hrs≥1hr: 87%
Welcome to the FDI. As our newest Operator, your role is to use your detective skills to assist our field agents and investigate mysterious crimes. Use cutting-edge FDI software to dig for clues, solve puzzles, and uncover the truth.
Why similar: Detective 28%, Crime 18.7%, Investigation 18%, Thriller 11.7%, Mystery 10.9%
- #38 Deluded I
74% matchMostly Positive75% of 54 reviews2021
Dev: New IDEA Games
Windows
A worn out detective with his demons to fight and a homicide case to solve. Deluded is an interactive crime thriller movie with point-and-click investigation and adrenaline pumped quick time events.
Why similar: Detective 26.2%, Investigation 16.9%, Thriller 13.3%, Psychological 12%, Mystery 7.5%
- #39 The Occultist
71% matchMostly Positive76% of 286 reviews2026
Dev: DALOARPub: Daedalic Entertainment
Windows
The Occultist is a first-person narrative thriller. You play as Alan Rebels, a paranormal investigator who travels to an abandoned British island after his father's disappearance. Explore Godstone island, face supernatural entities, and uncover long-buried occult rituals.
Why similar: Detective 36.1%, Investigation 24%, Mystery 9.9%, Action-Adventure 6.9%, Story Rich 6.6%
- #40 Jenny LeClue - Detectivu
73% matchVery Positive87% of 1,363 reviews2019
Dev: Mografi
Windows · Mac
Median: 6.8 hrsMean: 9.5 hrs≥1hr: 72%
JENNY LECLUE is an adventure game focused on exploration, story, and character, featuring dozens of characters to meet, mysteries and puzzles to solve across a vibrant, atmospheric world.
Why similar: Detective 27.7%, Crime 23.1%, Mystery 12.6%, Emotional 9.5%, Story Rich 7.3%
- #41 Mafia: The Old Country
69% matchMostly Positive73% of 27,679 reviews2025
Dev: Hangar 13Pub: 2K
Windows
Median: 13.7 hrsMean: 17.5 hrs≥1hr: 98%
Uncover the origins of organized crime in Mafia: The Old Country, a gritty mob story set in the brutal underworld of 1900s Sicily. Fight to survive as Enzo Favara and prove your worth to the Family in this immersive third-person action-adventure.
Why similar: Crime 31.1%, Story Rich 11.5%, Emotional 11.5%, Open World 9.7%, Third Person 9.6%
- #42 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
68% matchVery Positive90% of 19,373 reviews2024
Dev: MachineGamesPub: Bethesda Softworks
Windows
Median: 18.5 hrsMean: 37.9 hrs≥1hr: 92%
Uncover one of history’s greatest mysteries in a first-person, single-player adventure. The year is 1937, sinister forces are scouring the globe for the secret to an ancient power connected to the Great Circle, and only one person can stop them - Indiana Jones™.
Why similar: Investigation 21.4%, Open World 19%, Action-Adventure 17.4%, Story Rich 15.5%, Exploration 8.7%
- #43 Scene Investigators
70% matchMostly Positive75% of 992 reviews2023
Dev: EQ Studios
Windows
Median: 2.6 hrsMean: 4.6 hrs≥1hr: 76%
A hardcore deductive reasoning game for fans of the “true crime” genre. Only by unraveling the logic and grasping at the motivations behind each case can the crimes be completely solved. Perfect as a social-style mystery fiction.
Why similar: Detective 26.8%, Crime 23.5%, Investigation 20.9%, Mystery 12.2%, Exploration 4.3%
- #44 Agatha Christie - The ABC Murders
72% matchVery Positive81% of 3,031 reviews2016
Dev: Artefacts StudioPub: Microids
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.4 hrsMean: 5.2 hrs≥1hr: 91%
The ABC Murders is an adventure and investigation game adapted from the classic Agatha Christie novel. You are the famous private detective Hercule Poirot and, once again, you find yourself up against a mysterious serial killer who goes by the name of "ABC".
Why similar: Detective 25.8%, Crime 19.1%, Investigation 12.3%, Mystery 9.4%, Choices Matter 9.2%
- #45 This Bed We Made
69% matchVery Positive91% of 3,051 reviews2023
Dev: Lowbirth Games
Windows
Median: 4.7 hrsMean: 5.4 hrs≥1hr: 88%
This Bed We Made is a third-person mystery game in which you play as a maid in a 1950s hotel and snoop around strangers' rooms to uncover their deadly secrets. Discover what links guests together in this tale of love, heartbreak and murder!
Why similar: Crime 21.2%, Detective 20.8%, Investigation 15.8%, Mystery 14.6%, Third Person 7.9%
- #46 Eternal Threads
70% matchVery Positive86% of 856 reviews2022
Dev: Cosmonaut StudiosPub: Secret Mode
Windows
Median: 2.0 hrsMean: 7.8 hrs≥1hr: 58%
Eternal Threads is a single-player, first-person story-driven puzzle game of time manipulation, choice and consequence.
Why similar: Detective 22.9%, Investigation 14.4%, Mystery 10%, Choices Matter 9.4%, Thriller 9.1%
- #47 Sherlock Holmes: The Silver Earring
73% matchMixed59% of 789 reviews2009
Dev: Frogwares
Windows
Median: 1.3 hrsMean: 20.1 hrs≥1hr: 54%
Melvyn Bromsby, a rich tycoon, is about to make a statement, when suddenly a shot rings out. Sir Bromsby collapses - a mortal wound to the heart... A baffling murder, dozens of witnesses and no suspects! You, Sherlock Holmes, must use all your skills to shed light on this mysterious case.
Why similar: Detective 63.1%, Adventure 18.8%, Mystery 14%, Puzzle 4.1%
- #48 Sherlock Holmes: The Mystery of the Mummy
75% matchMostly Negative28% of 533 reviews2009
Dev: Frogwares
Windows
Median: 36 minMean: 10.2 hrs≥1hr: 42%
Take on the role of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes and get ready to avoid numerous traps and to solve riddles. A mysterious murder, numerous suspects, and the famous mummy for a case that appears to be not that easy...
Why similar: Detective 62.9%, Adventure 17.2%, Mystery 15.8%, Puzzle 4.1%
- #49 Lost Judgment
67% matchVery Positive94% of 9,258 reviews2022
Dev: Ryu Ga Gotoku StudioPub: SEGA
Windows
Median: 34.8 hrsMean: 47.9 hrs≥1hr: 92%
In this action-adventure thriller, detective Takayuki Yagami goes undercover to unravel a string of twisted crimes at a high school in Yokohama, Japan. Crack the case and some skulls with brutal combat featuring three unique fighting styles and an arsenal of private eye tricks.
Why similar: Detective 28.4%, Crime 27.8%, Investigation 15.4%, Action-Adventure 9.8%, Third Person 9.6%
- #50 Sherlock Holmes: The Mystery of the Persian Carpet
74% matchMostly Negative39% of 608 reviews
Dev: Frogwares
Windows
Median: 1.1 hrsMean: 23.3 hrs≥1hr: 51%
Scotland Yard has called Sherlock Holmes with an urgent request for help! A young painter has been found murdered and rolled up in a remarkable Persian carpet. Along with Watson, you must investigate the peculiar crime, exploring crime scene locations in search of missing clues.
Why similar: Detective 52.6%, Adventure 42%, Puzzle 5.4%
- #51 Telling Lies
71% matchMixed63% of 1,297 reviews2019
Dev: Sam BarlowPub: Annapurna Interactive
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.7 hrsMean: 5.3 hrs≥1hr: 83%
Four private lives. One big lie. Search through secretly recorded video conversations to discover the truth. The successor to the acclaimed Her Story.
Why similar: Detective 20.2%, Crime 17%, Investigation 12.2%, Thriller 10.6%, Mystery 9.6%
- #52 The Last Case of John Morley
67% matchVery Positive84% of 289 reviews2025
Dev: Indigo Studios - Interactive StoriesPub: JanduSoft
Windows
Step into the mind of John Morley, a 1940s detective on his final case. Explore shadowed places long forgotten by time, and piece together crime scenes in a narrative adventure steeped in mystery, unexpected twists, and a truth buried for decades.
Why similar: Detective 42.1%, Mystery 17.1%, Story Rich 10.9%, Exploration 9%, Atmospheric 7.3%
- #53 Nobody Wants to Die
66% matchVery Positive84% of 6,806 reviews2024
Dev: Critical Hit GamesPub: PLAION
Windows
Median: 5.0 hrsMean: 6.1 hrs≥1hr: 79%
Lose yourself in the dystopian world of New York, 2329; immortality comes at a price that someone has to pay. In this interactive noir story, lead the investigation using advanced technology, as Detective James Karra who risks it all in pursuit of a serial killer targeting the city’s elite.
Why similar: Detective 27.9%, Investigation 15.7%, Thriller 13.6%, Psychological 13%, Choices Matter 10%
- #54 The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me
69% matchMixed55% of 5,946 reviews2022
Dev: Supermassive GamesPub: Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe
Windows
Median: 6.3 hrsMean: 8.7 hrs≥1hr: 92%
A group of documentary film makers receive a mysterious call inviting them to a modern-day replica of serial killer H.H. Holmes ‘Murder Castle’. But on arrival they soon discover they’re being watched, and even manipulated, and suddenly there is much more at stake than just their ratings…
Why similar: Crime 20.4%, Choices Matter 15.2%, Multiple Endings 12%, Psychological 10.2%, Third Person 9.4%
- #55 The Centennial Case : A Shijima Story
68% matchMostly Positive80% of 1,112 reviews2022
Dev: Square Enix
Windows
Median: 8.2 hrsMean: 15.3 hrs≥1hr: 84%
Unravel the mysteries of death, and find the answers to life.A unique Mystery-Adventure Game:The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story
Why similar: Detective 33.5%, Mystery 24%, Choices Matter 17.1%, Story Rich 11.9%, Atmospheric 6.3%
- #56 A Plague Tale: Requiem
66% matchVery Positive91% of 24,842 reviews2022
Dev: Asobo StudioPub: Focus Entertainment
Windows
Median: 10.6 hrsMean: 27.6 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Embark on a heartrending journey into a brutal, breathtaking world, and discover the cost of saving those you love in a desperate struggle for survival. Strike from the shadows or unleash hell with a variety of weapons, tools and unearthly powers.
Why similar: Emotional 14.9%, Third Person 13.4%, Mystery 13.3%, Action-Adventure 13.2%, Exploration 9.4%
- #57 Tangle Tower
67% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 6,076 reviews2019
Dev: SFB Games
Windows · Mac
Median: 5.5 hrsMean: 6.7 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Unravel a thrilling mystery by exploring a strange and twisted mansion, discovering curious clues, interrogating peculiar suspects and solving unique puzzles. Will you be able to uncover the secrets of Tangle Tower?
Why similar: Detective 37%, Crime 20.2%, Mystery 10.9%, Investigation 8.6%, Story Rich 7.1%
- #58 Keyword: A Spider's Thread
68% matchVery Positive82% of 277 reviews2021
Dev: City From Naught Inc.
Windows
Become an investigator in Keyword, a narrative thriller where you’ll depend on skills of logical deduction, hacking, and social engineering to solve challenging puzzles as the only means of finding your missing daughter.
Why similar: Detective 31.4%, Crime 18.1%, Thriller 11.2%, Mystery 10.4%, Investigation 9.6%
- #59 Casebook 1899 - The Leipzig Murders
65% matchVery Positive87% of 104 reviews2025
Dev: Homo Narrans Studio
Windows · Mac · Linux
Play as a sharp-witted detective in late 19th-century Leipzig, Germany, in this retro pixel-art point & click adventure. Search for clues, question suspects, and piece together evidence on your deduction board to solve four gripping murder cases.
Why similar: Detective 30.1%, Crime 24.6%, Investigation 18.3%, Choices Matter 9.5%, Story Rich 6%
